The subject application is related to subject matter disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application No.Hei 10-356713 filed in Dec. 15, 1998 in Japan, to which the subject application claims priority under the Paris Convention and which is incorporation by reference herein.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing technology of electronic devices such as semiconductor device and, more particularly, a manufacturing method of electronic devices, a control system for supporting this manufacturing, a manufacturing system for manufacturing, and a recording medium where programs for realizing the manufacturing method and a recording medium where data used for the manufacturing method are stored.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the manufacturing method of semiconductor devices, semiconductor substrates, typically silicon wafers, are used and semiconductor elements are integrated and formed on the semiconductor substrates by performing a series of processes of deposition, lithography, etching or the like. According to the demand of higher integration degree of these semiconductor elements to be integrated and formed, respective elements are required to be further miniaturized. Consequently, the designing dimensional tolerance range allowed for manufacturing semiconductor becomes all the more strict.
In respective processes during the manufacturing, the manufacturing is so performed to obtain dimensions within the processing condition range of the semiconductor device manufacturing equipment that can be controlled (called xe2x80x9ccontrol rangexe2x80x9d hereinafter). However, in some cases, the manufacturing may become impossible in the following process by the accumulation of processing errors in the previous processes, even when the process errors of respective process or the control range reflects effectively the specification of the semiconductor device manufacturing equipment.
As a first conventional example, a processing flow shall be described for a semiconductor device comprising an A-type-film and a B-type-film as interlayer dielectric film film and a contact hole, as shown in FIG. 1. Here, the xe2x80x9cprocessing flowxe2x80x9d means a flow chart wherein a plurality of manufacturing process name and metrology process name are arranged in the manufacturing order of a semiconductor device. And, metrology criteria or the like may be added for each metrology process name, even when processing conditions are added to each manufacturing process. In this processing flow, a step S41 which is a first deposition process for depositing an A-type-film, a step S42 which is a first metrology process for measuring the thickness of the A-type-film, a step S43 which is a second deposition process for depositing a B-type-film, a step S44 which is a second metrology process for measuring the thickness of the B-type-film, and a step S45 which is an etching process for forming a contact hole by etching the A-type-film and the B-type-film are performed in this order. FIG. 2A shows the cross-section of the semiconductor device after the processing.
In the flow chart shown in FIG. 1, the processing condition of the first deposition process consists in depositing the A-type-film (boro-phosphate-silicate-glass (BPSG) film, or the like) of 300 nm in thickness within the control range of +/xe2x88x9210%. Then, in the step S41, the first deposition process is performed so as to fulfill this condition and a A-type-film 112 of FIG. 2A is deposited on a substrate 101. Next, in the step S42, the thickness is measured by the first metrology process for measuring the result of this deposition. If the measured value is within the control range, the flow advances to the next step S43, but if it is out of the control range, the flow can not go ahead to the next step, as the deposition is defective.
The processing condition of the second deposition process consists in depositing the B-type-film (non-doped-silicate-glass (NSG) film, or the like) of 600 nm in thickness within the control range of +/xe2x88x9210%. Then, in the step S43, the second deposition process is performed so as to fulfill this condition and a B-type-film 113 of FIG. 2A is deposited. Next, in the step S44, the thickness is measured by the second metrology process for measuring the result of this deposition. If the measured value is within the control range, the flow advances to the next step S45, but if it is out of the control range, the flow can not go ahead to the next step, as the deposition is defective.
At last, the processing condition of the etching process is decided to eliminate completely the A-type-film 112 and the B-type-film 113 as shown in FIG. 2A. The etching depth is so decided not to leave, even when the etching depth be minimum, any film 112, 113 of the thickness which can be maximum respectively in the first deposition process and the second deposition process.
In this case, the maximum thickness will be 990 nm, sum of 300 nm, thickness of the A-type-film, and 600 nm, thickness of the B-type-film, increased by 10%. The etching depth is set to 1100 nm not to leave any film of 990 nm in maximum thickness even when the etching depth has decreased by 10% with in the control range. The etching process is performed in the step S45 to fulfill this condition, and a contact hole 134 of FIG. 2A is formed.
In this situation, as shown in FIG. 2B, the thickness of the A-type-film 122 and the B-type-film 123 may become minimum, and the etching depth may become maximum within the control range. In this case, the minimum thickness will be 810 nm, sum of 300 nm, thickness of the A-type-film, and 600 nm, thickness of the B-type-film, decreased by 10%, while the etching amount will be 1210 nm, that is 1100 nm increased by 10%. The over-etching amount of the A-type-film 122 and the B-type-film 123 after etching will be 400 nm, converted into the etching depth of the A-type-film and the B-type-film, the over-etching proportion attaining 49%. If over-etched, it is the substrate that will be etched. As the substrate etching rate decreases to about for example 10% of the rate of the A-type-film and the B-type-film, the over-etch depth will be 40 nm.
As a second conventional example, a processing flow of a semiconductor device comprising an interlayer dielectric film formed by planarizing a graduated film and depositing a film thereon will now be described referring to a flow chart shown in FIG. 3. In this processing flow, a step S51 which is a first deposition process for depositing a C-type-film, a step S52 which is a first metrology process for measuring the thickness of the C-type-film, a step S53 which is a polishing process for polishing the C-type-film, a step S54 which is a second metrology process for measuring the thickness of the C-type-film, and a step S55 which is a second deposition process for depositing the C-type-film are performed in this order.
First, the processing condition of the first deposition process consists in depositing the C-type-film (plasma enhanced tetra-ethyl-ortho-silicate (PE-TEOS) film, or the like) of 1000 nm in thickness within the control range of +/xe2x88x9210%. Then, in the step S51, the first deposition process is performed so as to fulfill this condition and a C-type-film 223 of FIG. 4A is deposited on a substrate 201 and a protrusion 202 of wiring or the like. Next, in the step S52, the thickness is measured by the first metrology process for measuring the result of this deposition. If the measured value is within the control range, the flow advances to the next step S53, but if it is out of the control range, the flow can not go ahead to the next step, as the deposition is defective.
The processing condition of the polishing process consists in polishing the remaining film to a thickness of 500 nm within the control range of +/xe2x88x9210%, and the polishing process is performed in the step S53 to fulfill this condition, leaving a C-type-film 223 shown in FIG. 4A. Next, in the step S54, the thickness is measured by the second metrology process for measuring the result of this polishing process. If the measured value is within the control range, the flow advances to the next step S55, but if it is out of the control range, the flow can not go ahead to the next step, as the deposition is defective.
At last, the processing condition of the second deposition process consists in depositing the C-type-film (PE-TEOS film, or the like) of 500 nm in thickness within the control range of +/xe2x88x9210% as shown in FIG. 4A; therefore, in the step S55, the second deposition process is performed in the step S55.
In this situation, the minimum value and the maximum value of the thickness of interlayer dielectric film, which is the sum of C-type-film 223 and 234 after the second deposition process are as follows. The situation where the minimum value can be obtained is shown in FIG. 4A. The minimum value being 800 nm, the deviation 225 from the set thickness 1000 nm is 200 nm. The minimum value is obtained when a film of 900 nm thickness is deposited in the first deposition process, depth of 550 nm is polished in the polishing process and the film of 450 nm thickness is deposited in the second deposition process. The situation where the maximum value can be obtained is shown in FIG. 4B. The maximum value being 1200 nm, the deviation 235 from the set thickness is 200 nm. The maximum value is obtained when the film of 1100 nm thickness is deposited in the first deposition process, depth of 450 nm is polished in the polishing process and the film of 550 nm thickness is deposited in the second deposition process. The designed central value of the thickness of the interlayer dielectric film after the second deposition process being 1000 nm, a deviation of xc2x120% is to be generated. The thickness of the obtained interlayer dielectric film will have a deviation of xc2x120% even when the thickness is controlled within xc2x110% in respective process.
The deviation of the interlayer dielectric film will scatter the wiring capacitance and, consequently, the wiring delay time. In the state of art, the miniaturization and the high level integration of semiconductor devices make the wiring delay time longer than the gate delay time, influence the integrated circuit delay time and, as a result, cause the scattering of the operation speed of the integrated circuit.
As shown by the aforementioned two conventional examples, in the semiconductor device composed of a number of continuous processes, the semiconductor device structure does not present the designed performance due to the accumulation of control range of respective processes, even if the processing is performed within the control range of respective manufacturing equipment in each individual process.
The present invention has been made in view of the problem above, and one of its objects is to provide a manufacturing method of miniaturized semiconductor devices without restricting the manufacturing equipment control range.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method of semiconductor devices wherein the number of metrology processes in the processing flow can be decreased.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing support system for allowing to process minute semiconductor devices by the manufacturing equipment without changing the conventional control range.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing system for allowing to process minute semiconductor devices by the manufacturing equipment without changing the conventional control range.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium where a program allowing to process minute semiconductor devices without changing the conventional control range is stored.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium where data necessary for allowing to process, with an extraordinary precision, minute semiconductor devices without changing the conventional control range is stored.
To attain the above objects, a first feature of the present invention inheres in a manufacturing method of semiconductor devices such as semiconductor integrated circuit or the like, comprising the steps of generating processing condition described as function of metrology process name, measuring the semiconductor device, generating new processing condition by linking this metrology result by this measuring with the processing condition, and manufacturing the semiconductor device itself measured under this new processing condition. Here, the metrology result includes film thickness, etching depth, line width and hole diameter, or others.
According to the first feature of the present invention, as the deviation from the designed value generated in a previous process can be compensated in a following process, not only the cumulatively increasing deviation through a number of processes is prevented, but also it can be made lower that the deviation generated in a single process. As the result, a minute semiconductor device can be manufactured by a conventional manufacturing equipment without changing the control rage. Thus, a method for manufacturing a miniaturized semiconductor device without restricting the manufacturing equipment control rage can be provided. The number of metrology processes in the processing flow can also be reduced, as only metrology process necessary for the compensation are to be performed.
The first feature of the present invention is effective by having a step for creating a processing flow where manufacturing process name to set the processing condition and metrology process name are arranged in the manufacturing order. The first feature of the present invention is effective by having a step for calculating processing parameter on new processing condition. These steps allow to automate the semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Processing parameter input into the manufacturing equipment or the like may become incorrect due to the processing condition variation according the metrology results; however, the automation can eliminate the error of processing condition introduction. Here, xe2x80x9cprocessing parameterxe2x80x9d means processing condition that can directly input into the semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
Also, the first feature of the present invention is effective when the step of setting processing condition with corresponding to manufacturing process name comprises steps of adding a data label to the metrology process name and setting the processing condition described as function of the data label. This allows to retrieve rapidly and easily from one of metrology process and processing conditions to the other. Otherwise, the same effect can be expected if the step of setting the processing condition as process name comprises steps of adding different process numbers to the manufacturing process name and the metrology process name and setting the processing conditions described as function of process number added to the metrology process.
Moreover, in the step of generating new processing condition, an advantageous effect can be expected by including steps of retrieving the metrology process name from the metrology results, detecting the data label or process number added to the metrology process name, and retrieving processing condition described as function of the same data label or process number. This allows to retrieve rapidly and easily from the metrology process name to the processing conditions described as function of the metrology process name. Additionally, in the step of generating new processing condition, an advantageous effect can be expected by including steps of extracting the processing conditions from the processing flow, judging if the processing conditions are described as function of data label or process number, and acquiring said metrology results from the metrology process name to which the same data label or process number is added. This allows to retrieve rapidly and easily from the processing conditions described as function of metrology process name to the metrology process name.
A second feature of the present invention inheres in a semiconductor device manufacturing support system comprising a link data setting unit for generating processing condition described as function of metrology process name, and a processing condition generation unit for generating new processing condition of the semiconductor device itself measured by linking the semiconductor device metrology results and the processing conditions.
According to the second feature of the present invention, a manufacturing support system for manufacturing a minute semiconductor device with a manufacturing equipment without changing the conventional control range can be provided.
A third feature of the present invention inheres in a semiconductor manufacturing system comprising the semiconductor device manufacturing support system of the second feature of the present invention, and a measurement device group for performing the metrology process of this semiconductor device itself and transmitting the metrology result to the support system.
According to the third feature of the present invention, a manufacturing system for manufacturing a minute semiconductor device with a manufacturing equipment without changing the conventional control range can be provided.
A fourth feature of the present invention inheres in a computer readable recording medium for storing a program comprising the steps of generating processing condition described as function of metrology process name and generating new processing condition by linking the metrology result with the processing conditions. Here, the recording medium includes, for example, semiconductor memory, magnetic disk, optical disk, magnetic tape or others devices that can record the program.
According to the fourth feature of the present invention, a recording medium for recording the manufacturing method for manufacturing with an extraordinary precision a minute semiconductor device with a manufacturing equipment without changing the conventional control range can be provided.
A fifth feature of the present invention inheres in a computer readable recording medium for storing data comprising at least manufacturing process name, metrology process name, data area for storing this manufacturing process name and metrology process name in the manufacturing order, processing condition corresponding to the manufacturing process name, and data area for storing this processing condition in correspondence to the data area for storing the manufacturing process name. Here, the recording medium includes, for example, semiconductor memory, magnetic disk, optical disk, magnetic tape or others devices that can record the program.
According to the fifth feature of the present invention, a recording medium for recording data used for the manufacturing method for manufacturing with an extraordinary precision a minute semiconductor device with a manufacturing equipment without changing the conventional control range.
Other and further objects and features of the present invention will become obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described in connection with the accompanying drawings or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employing of the invention in practice.